AGUAVIVA
Thomas Marcusson
Jellyfish are one of the oldest forms of life. We have taken the greatest professional care to provide the best aquatic environment while this creature is in our care.
Is a jellyfish more random than a computer?
This artwork extracts randomness from a simple yet ancient life form – the jellyfish. A camera tracks its gentle movements and translates them into random numbers on screens.
True randomness is valuable when it comes to things like encrypting data. Computers are bad at coming up with random numbers because they’re designed to be predictable. That’s why alternative sources of randomness are often used to initiate high-end encryption schemes, which for example, can protect sensitive data online.
The peaceful jellyfish is blissfully unaware that its cellular contractions can outperform a computer.
Access the numbers in real-time at the artist’s website.
How do we commodify natural systems for human purposes?
Thomas Marcusson (Australia/Sweden) is an artist combining new technologies with more traditional mediums, such as sculpture and installation, to explore themes around science and society. He looks at the nexus between scientific theory and cultural phenomena to allow for new ways to think about and observe each.
Photography: Matthew Stanton